AIBU to ask if you’d buy this considering the situation?

[chocolatetreats21]

I have a new business idea, I want to make chocolate covered treats from home and sell them. I just don’t know if people would buy it considering the whole COVID situation? What do you think?

[Fluffybutter]

Op did you make those in the picture ?
They look lovely and I think as a small fb business as something on the side I think you’d do ok .
We have a few things like that round here and they seem to do alright .
Just don’t expect to make a living off it.

[Fluffybutter]

Sorry I didn’t see the bit where she said those weren’t hers.
If you can make them to that standard I think you’d be ok .

[Funnyface1]

No I wouldn't buy them.

[puddlesuit]

As someone who has worked for my local councils food safety team I can tell you a lot of pp have some unrealistic views of the local councils hygiene inspections (if you are in my area, not saying this is the same for others)

A person sends us a registration form, we then put the details onto our internal system. As a home business and only making chocolate/cakes/brownies you are classed as low risk. In normal times you would have to wait about 6 month for a hygiene rating. However you can trade without a hygiene rating, (it's up to an individual if they choose to buy from you obviously). Once you have your hygiene inspection if the officer agrees your risk is low you will only get a paper inspection form every 3 years to see if anything has changed. During covid it would just be a phone call to explain your business over the phone.

But back to your original question, yes this is something I would buy!

[ShirleyPhallus]

I can’t believe you haven’t even tried to make them! It’s so much harder than it looks!

[diamondpony80]

I wouldn’t buy them, but not because of covid. We generally only buy treats like that at Christmas, at our local Christmas market. Throughout the year though no because homemade stuff is usually really expensive and for me isn’t worth it.

[kutess]

Can we see some you've actually made yourself?

[MagratsDanglyCharms]

Honestly, I wouldn't. However, I WOULD look into running short courses locally so other people can learn how to do it for themselves. Maybe run for adults or even better.... for kids! Given the Covid situation, the young kids aspect would be easier... Just need a DBS.... maybe offer a taster session for free through the local Brownies group? Then kids make your own parties? That might be different to what you have suggested but probably way more profitable!

[Saucery]

I’m only buying from businesses with a track record of hygiene who I trust completely. Items that can be left a while such as chocolate, too. Probably wouldn’t buy from a new start up. I’m not saying you wouldn’t do everything right, but as a customer I wouldn’t know that.

Lots of people advertising on my local FB at the moment and seems to be plenty of buyers, so good luck! Advertisingis going to be the key, I think. If there are markets still being held in your area it might be worth a stall? That’s an initial lay-out, though.

[Meuniere]

@chocolatetreats21, a friend of mine did something like this.
Its hard work because you can’t actually sell those chocs at a price that would allow to pay yourself in a decent way.

Personally, I would only buy if I felt I could trust the person re covid. I think that sort of stuff takes time, even more in the current circumstances.

It’s a bit like people baking fancy cakes. Making a proper living out of it is hard work and often isnt very lucrative.

[chocolatetreats21]

Hey guys, thanks for the replies. No they're not my pictures, I just used them as an example as some of you didn't know what a cakesicle is. I have another business that's my main income, this was just something I wanted to do on the side.

I've never made them before, but once I do I'll be back

[Meuniere]

@MagratsDanglyCharms

Honestly, I wouldn't. However, I WOULD look into running short courses locally so other people can learn how to do it for themselves. Maybe run for adults or even better.... for kids! Given the Covid situation, the young kids aspect would be easier... Just need a DBS.... maybe offer a taster session for free through the local Brownies group? Then kids make your own parties? That might be different to what you have suggested but probably way more profitable!

Courses would be nightmare to organise to have the whole event Covid protected.!!

If where I live is anything to go by, people are avoiding those activities because on close contact etc...

However, in NORMAL circumstances, I would fully agree with you. This wouod be much more lucrative.

[JonHammIsMyJamm]

@chocolatetreats21

I have a new business idea, I want to make chocolate covered treats from home and sell them. I just don’t know if people would buy it considering the whole COVID situation? What do you think?

I wouldn’t buy them, they’re just not my thing. Nothing to do with COVID. As others have said, there are lots of very similar small businesses on my local Facebook pages.

[knittingaddict]

I have ordered from a local cake maker who is a friend of my daughter and I would do it again. Her cakes are delicious and take a lot of skill.

I'm sorry, I wouldn't buy blinged up strawberries or Oreos. As someone else said, I think they have had their day.

Oreos are ok I guess, but it's just tarting up a mass produced biscuit and I would rather have something cooked from scratch for a delicious treat. Oreos contain palm oil too, so they are really another commercial biscuit made with cheap ingredients.

[knittingaddict]

Oh, I should have said, this isn't about Covid, it's about whether I would enjoy eating them.

[Fluffybutter]

@chocolatetreats21

Hey guys, thanks for the replies. No they're not my pictures, I just used them as an example as some of you didn't know what a cakesicle is. I have another business that's my main income, this was just something I wanted to do on the side.

I've never made them before, but once I do I'll be back

Good luck , look forward to seeing them

[MsEllany]

No I wouldn’t. Not coz of Covid, more because I like to see food like this before I buy.

Where I work we have sellers come in and sell from a stall (it’s like a tiny marketplace I suppose) and I have bought cupcakes, cheese and sweets from them. So I would consider it from a market but not just online.

[Youandmeareluckytobeus]

I wouldn't buy them.
Yes, the pictures you have posted look pretty.
The pictures are not even yours though. There is no good having an idea of a business without having the ability to make the product and, so far, you have provided nothing to show that you have that ability.

Prices?
Business plan?

[Halliehallie9828]

@chocolatetreats21

It's not just a punnet of strawberries and some melted galaxy chocolate 😂 there's a lot more that goes in to it. It's the glitter, edible decorations, fondant etc.

Here's some Oreos

I wouldn’t buy this or the strawberries as I could do it myself...

Dip in chocolate, add some decorations, bit of edible glitter and it’s done.

[GameSetMatch]

No sorry I wouldn’t. Maybe selling this kind of thing at fates might be more lucrative.

[Fluffybutter]

@Youandmeareluckytobeus

I wouldn't buy them.
Yes, the pictures you have posted look pretty.
The pictures are not even yours though. There is no good having an idea of a business without having the ability to make the product and, so far, you have provided nothing to show that you have that ability.

Prices?
Business plan?

She doesn’t need to provide you with a business plan .. she was just asking if it was something people would buy.
Why is this possibly the meanest social media platform out there ?
People don’t need to be so shitty just because it’s not face to face .

[gingerwhinger0]

Home made/ hand crafted conjures up different image to I’ve made this at home.
It’s all in the wording and presentation. There are plenty of cake makers that work from home, the focus is on the handcrafted, personalisation and ‘love’ that goes into it, not the fact they are working from home. I would assume if you presented yourself professionally that you where adhering to any H&s guidelines. i.e good marketing, nice packaging - as Opposed to scruffy cake tin, so it wouldn’t be an issue for me.
If it’s got reasonably low start up, then I’d give it a go.

[AriettyHomily]

No I wouldn't and not because of Covid particularly but because

strawberries taste like shit for all but about 6 weeks in the summer
There are tons of start up business like this where I live that appeared in lockdown. They are all totally overpriced presumably because they want to make some money not just cover csts
The Oreo example id dreadful, why would you decorate oreos?

[BusyBB]

I think you should definitely learn to make them before having any business ideas!

They are really cute and special and there probably would be a market for them but they look really hard to make!

I am good at making cakes, sweets, jams, chutneys etc. I often get told "you should sell these" and it would be great to do so... but when I look at the time it takes, the cost of the ingredients, having to redo my kitchen (because I have flaky paint!)... I would have to sell things for much more than I think they are worth to make any money. I'd have to do a hell of a lot to make £50 profit a week, so it would be easier to do an extra shift at work!

Why are you immediately thinking that youa have to make money from them? Cant you allow your self time to do it as a hobby for the sake of enjoyment? You would also be able to gift them to people, which saves money! I do this, like last xmas I made hampers for dh's family, probably cost less than £10 each but were good presents probably costing around £40 if bought and not homemade!

Good luck!

[chocolatetreats21]

@Halliehallie9828 Ok, and I run a business doing things that people easily could do themselves but they pay me to do it? With this mentality no one would have a business as everyone could it themselves?

Honestly if there was no Covid I have no doubt these would sell and I would just have cracked on. But I came on here to ask, because I knew people would be wary of homemade stuff because of the pandemic. Obviously all these cake ladies are still in business, so guess there's a market for it. I just need to practice, practice, practice 😄